


Why Would Anyone Write Such a Thing

by Anonymous



Category: Gintama
Genre: Biting, Cuddling & Snuggling, Drunken Confessions, Drunkenness, Explicit Language, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, I DON'T EVEN SHIP THEM, Inspired by fan art, Kissing, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Out of Character, This Is STUPID, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, crack ship, just for fun, or so I'm told, please don't take this too seriously, spoilers for episode 358, this is very silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-10 21:11:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16462412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: A horribly out of character, crack fic, in which Abuto encounters a very drunk Nobunobu and they end up spending the night together.





	Why Would Anyone Write Such a Thing

**Author's Note:**

> OK, so I don't even ship Abuto and Nobunobu, but when I saw this beautiful art of them on Pixiv  
> ( https://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=66332521 ), my silly brain just got ideas and I decided to write them down. The fic is written in 1st person from Abuto's perspective. He is out of character, but I developed this voice for him and just went with it. It takes place roughly 2 years after Silver Soul Arc and Nobunobu is still alive, although he is no longer shogun. I took a lot of liberties with canon and just had fun.
> 
> Please don't take this fic too seriously. I am only sharing it in hopes that anyone who reads it will find it to be cute and fun and possibly put a smile on their face.

About a two years after the war ended, the winning team decided it was time for a reunion. Tension had dwindled but life had not yet returned to normal neither on Earth nor for us folks in space. Nonetheless, there was some room to breathe and Kamui was eager to bully, or perhaps he said visit, his sister on Earth. So we decided to join the party.

The festivities raged on noisily for hours and hours. After about three hours, I had my fill of yelling, drunkenness, nudity, and whatever unsavory activities were taking place inside the abandoned dockside warehouse. I lit my cigarette and exhaled deeply, the night echoed with silence. The lights of distant boats flickered hypnotically. But like all serene moments, this one was doomed to be short-lived. Footsteps creaked on the dock and I knew I was no longer alone. I clicked my tongue and turned to see who approached. My annoyed anticipation subsided when I saw it was the former shogun. 

“Oh, it's just you.” 

These words weren't intended to be belittling. I only tried to express my relief that it wasn't one of the loud and boisterous individuals coming my way. 

I didn't really know him, what I did know was that Kamui once nearly killed him for thinking he was someone else. I also came to know that his reputation drastically changed during the war. He went from someone hated to someone respected. I felt that an apology was in order for Kamui’s moronic behavior. 

“Hey uh, Shogun, er um Nobunobu. I really should apologize for what Kamui did to you back then,” I said.

“No worriesss, there er no hard feelingsss.” He followed this slurred sentence with putting his arm up and around my shoulder.

“You're wasted, man. You should sit down somewhere.” I removed his arm from my shoulder.

He looked at me with squinted eyes and a pout. It was the face of a child who had been denied candy. Being Kamui’s subordinate, I’m all too familiar with that expression. 

“I'm not wasted! I'm looking for...who wassit…oh yeah Sakamoto Tatsuma! Ave you seen him?” 

“No, I haven't. He's probably back inside,” I groaned and massaged my temples.

This stupid, drunk man just had to intrude on my one moment of peace and quiet. I would have ignored him, but I was concerned he would get himself into trouble. Within mere seconds, my prediction came true. 

He gasped, “Oh shit,” and a large splash followed. He fell off the dock. Fucking great. 

I didn't hurry too much at first, I took my time and enjoyed the sight of him floundering around. 

“Strange, you said something about not being wasted. Do sober people fall off docks so easily?” I taunted.

“P-pl-ease!” he cried. 

The thought crossed my mind that he might not know how to swim. Not wanting to cause him any real suffering, I extended my umbrella and yelled, “Grab on!”

He clutched it with both arms and I pulled him up to the dock effortlessly. Dripping wet and coughing up sea water, he managed to squeeze out a “thank you.”

“That's fine, just don't do dumb stuff like that.” I took a quick stare at him as he sat on all fours, he weirdly resembled a drowned golden retriever.

“You should probably call it a night. You've had enough fun. Let's find Sakamoto, he can deal with you.” I helped him to his feet and against my wishes he leaned against my body with his tidewater soaked clothes.

“Get off! You're not so far gone you can't walk.” I pushed him aside and he almost toppled over, but managed to catch his footing. I walked ahead and he followed, teetering like a recently hatched duckling. 

“Stupid child in an adult body. Just has to find his way to me and ruin my one moment of peace,” I grumbled to myself. If it was loud enough for him to hear, I didn't care.

The inside of the warehouse buzzed with all sorts of helter-skelter and the mood had turned sour. The ninja girl was in tears, the homeless man turned movie star was sobbing as well. Several people had thrown up which resulted in the whole room smelling like booze, stomach acids, sweat, and smoke. Amidst all the chaos, Sakamoto was nowhere to be found. I tried getting answers from a few of the drunken adults, to no avail. 

Finally, I located the innocent and sober Shinpachi-kun, and as though the universe was invested in irking me, he informed me that Sakamoto had left over an hour ago. Part of me thought to dump Nobunobu on Shinpachi, but Shinpachi is far too sweet a kid to burden with adult folly all the time. Another part of me thought to leave him with the rest of the drunks, nothing too bad could result from that, right? I turned to Nobunobu, fully prepared to abandon him, but he looked utterly pathetic all soggy and abandoned by his friend. 

“Dammit,” I growled then turned to Shinpachi, “Listen, I’m gonna take him back to my ship, let him shower and lend him some dry clothes. After that, you can deal with him.”

“Abuto-san-” Shinpachi objected, but I turned away before he could finish his sentence.

***

“The shower’s just down there on the left. You can throw your wet clothes on the bathroom floor, I’ll take care of it later. I’m gonna go find something dry for you to wear.” 

I watched him as he stumbled down the ship’s corridor. Had he gotten more drunk since we left? His trek towards the bathroom, which was only a few meters away, seemed infinite. Once he got to the entrance, he hugged the door frame and slid to the ground. I clenched my fists and stomped to where he sat.

“Oi, get up!” I shouted at him like a disobedient dog.

“I-I don’t think I can…everythingss spinning…” He brought his hands to the sides of his head.

“How much did you drink?” I asked as I knelt to his level to get a good look in his eyes. As expected, his ability to focus was nonexistent. 

“Well, I had a lot, then I fell off the dock...oh right you were there, and then I had so...some...more when you talked to the glasses kid.”

“I should have left you at the party,” I said as I lifted him into my arms and carried him into the bathroom. 

The lightness of his body surprised me, humans are typically lighter than us Yato, but since our species look identical, it always catches me off guard. I put his hand on the towel rack and placed his feet on the ground. Each time his hand wandered, I put it back and wrapped his fingers around the rack. His hands had a silken texture unlike that of most men, evidence of his wealthy upbringing. 

Wait. Why was I thinking about his nice skin at all? Only because it was unexpected, of course. Most men don’t have hands like that, so it’s only normal that I would admire them. Admire? That had to be the wrong word. Surely exhaustion was setting in and messing with my thinking. 

Once he looked stable enough, I helped him out of his jacket. “You’re on your own for the rest. I’ll stand outside, in case you lose your balance, but I am not undressing you. I have to draw the line somewhere and this has already gone far enough.”

I stepped outside, but for some unknown reason, found myself watching him as he let his top glide off his shoulders. That same smooth skin revealed itself again, on his shoulders, down his back, but interrupted by scars that seemed to be from bullets. They must have been from the war. Sadly, humans are fragile and easily marred. 

Wait. I was thinking about his pretty skin again!? Even if I were interested in a human male, I would never be interested in him. He had the face and haircut of a spoiled, out of touch brat. Although, with his hair wet and down like that...No! These were absolutely ludicrous thoughts. I turned away, and the thoughts vanished. I didn't think of him at all until I heard a crashing noise.

“What the hell are you doing?” I scolded him.

He leaned against the shower door, laughing. “I guess I have to open the door.”

I scooted past him with a grimace on my face and my eyes squinted, trying my darnedest to avoid seeing his naked body. I slid open the door and indicated for him to enter. To my surprise, this happened uneventfully. He managed to shower without anything major happening either. All that remained was to find him some dry clothes and return him to the party. I stared at him far too long as I left the room, but I liked the way his stupid face looked in nothing but a towel.

I returned with a plain t-shirt and black sweatpants. 

“I'm not going to help you dress,” I swiftly informed him.

“I think I got it,” He said with a steadier voice than before.

When he emerged from the bathroom, he held his hand to his head. A heaviness had formed in his eyelids. My clothes were much too large for him, but the bagginess looked cute. I needed to quit thinking of him that way. I could only imagine telling Kamui. Hey, remember the guy you tried to kill because you thought he was the shogun when he wasn’t yet? The guy who went on to cause total chaos for his country? Yeah, well I think he looks cute in my clothes.

“Thank you...for all the help tonight. I really overdid it,” He spoke softly. 

“Eh, you're not the first and you won't be the last, just be a little more careful next time.” I couldn't be too mad, he actually seemed like a nice person.

“Tatsuma begged me to come and I wanted to, but there's some people there who I think hate me...I didn't know how to...oh...uh...room's still spinning.” He wobbled towards the wall for support. 

Dammit. Why did he have to go and say all that? Now I'd feel terribly dumping him off back at the warehouse. 

“Why don't you hang out here for a bit until your head clears? I'll grab some water and meet you in the living area down the hall.”

***

When I got to the living area, Nobunobu was slumped over the armrest of the couch. His body was mostly off and to the side of the seat. Stupid, drunk idiot.

“Oi, who the hell sits like that! You'll hurt your neck and back.” It's not that I really cared if he got a neck ache or backache, it was just so darn painful to look at.

He responded with a groan but no intelligible words. I placed the water down and dragged him like a rag-doll into a more comfortable seated position.

“Now, drink.” I shoved the water in his face and took a seat by his side.

“Thank you,” he responded after a few sips, “You didn't have to do any of this for me.” 

From a more-or-less upright position, he sank further into a slouch, and eventually, he leaned right into me. He smelled like the sweet coconut shampoo from the shower and I wanted to run my fingers through his hair. I should have thrown him off me instead of indulge in those crazy thoughts, but he looked relaxed and peaceful. I couldn't bring myself to disturb that.

“I've always been fascin...um...fascina...sorry, words are hard now. The Yato are...just wow. You picked me up like it was nothing. I'm not even that small and you held me so...so...effortlessly.”

A sudden warmth tingled on my cheeks. Was this...blushing? Good thing he couldn't see my face, but then again his drunken babble was the source of my unease. 

“Don't flatter yourself. You're like 5'9” at the most. It's not difficult to lift you.”

“I amn't....wait...actually that's right, I am 5'9”,” he laughed and smiled gently, “Well anywaay...it's soothing to be treated so tender by such a strong man.”

Instinctively, I wanted to grab him tighter and give him more of a taste of what it’s like to be embraced tenderly by a strong man. Damn, these dumb and confusing words kept swirling in my brain. I had no right to be thinking these things about a drunken man who was barely an acquaintance. And yet, I still asked, “Do you mean it? Or is that just the alcohol talking?”

He pressed his face into my shoulder and squeezed my arm. “Of course it's the alcohol,” he muttered and that tingling on my cheeks returned, but this time it was caused by the crushing weight of my stupidity. 

“But I meant it...it's just not the sort of thing I would say without the help of liquid courage…” his voice drifted as he slid further onto my chest. 

“How about I hold you in my arms one more time then?” I asked and swept him off the couch. This was only to carry him to a bed, of course. He was half-asleep, no reason to keep him awake anymore.

“Feels nice…” he mumbled as his eyes fluttered shut.

I searched for an empty guest room far from anywhere Kamui or a random crew member would accidentally wander. What was I thinking? I repeated this question to myself over and over. The answer was that I liked holding him in my arms. A simple and ridiculous conclusion to a chance, drunken encounter. I found a small, quiet low lit room with a bed and clean sheets. I placed him down as gently as possible. With his hair unstyled, it was just long enough to get in his eyes as he rolled to his side. I brushed it away only to quickly retract my hand. 

“Hey, listen,” I nudged his shoulder, “I’m going to wash your clothes. I’ll be just down the hall if you need anything.”

“No, stay,” he extended a lazy hand and tugged on my shirt “it’s late, do that tomorrow.”

Against my better judgement, I sat next to him. He hugged my torso and soon sitting became laying. Truthfully, it was late and I needed sleep. More importantly, what if he got sick during the night? He would need someone to help him out. Surely, it made sense to sleep beside the former shogun, I told myself as he wrapped his arms and legs around my side. 

***

I awoke to the familiar whirring of the the ship’s engines. It must have been a good, long rest. I hadn’t felt that refreshed upon waking in quite awhile. I stretched my arms up and in front of me, and let them flop back down to the bed. That’s when my arm encountered my guest who was still fast asleep by my side. Oh, right, he was still there. He barely responded to my touch, his only movements being the relaxed rise and fall of his chest and a soft muttering. I decided to leave him to sleep more, that was a rough night, and he was bound to wake up with a killer hangover. As I left the bed, I immediately missed the warmth and comfort of lying next to someone. This feeling made me vacate the room even more quickly. If I left him alone, and busied myself with finding some breakfast, I would be done thinking about him. He would leave shortly after waking up, and we would both go on with our lives. 

Each step I took down the hall, I became more and more aware that something was amiss. And no, it wasn't just the unconscious blonde I had fallen asleep next to. Might as well throw his clothes in the laundry while I mulled it over. Nothing came to me as I poured the detergent, or as I prepared two omelettes. It was only when I stopped to grab some painkillers that I realized the trouble. I took a quick look outside the porthole, and rather than a steady horizon, a glittering star field whizzed by. Shit, I unintentionally kidnapped the former shogun. I’m not one to panic, and I wasn’t going to let this situation be any different. I could go scold Kamui first, but I thought it better to let Nobunobu know the circumstances.

***

I placed a glass of water and the bottle of painkillers on the floor next to where he slept. I sighed in anticipation of the awkward conversation that was about to ensue. 

“Hey, get up,” I said firmly but not too loudly.

His eyelids opened slowly as though they were carrying a heavy weight. As light hit his eyes, he knitted his brow and gritted his teeth. As expected, he wore the face of someone waking to a nasty hangover. He threw his hand over his eyes and said, “I regret everything.” 

“Yeah, yeah, you were wasted and now you’re hungover. Here, take these.” I handed him the pills. Until he mentioned anything about our closeness from the previous night, I would keep silent on the matter. 

“I'm terribly sorry about my behavior last night. You were very kind and my…” he paused, sat up, swallowed the pills and then continued carefully, “my...my clinginess certainly made the whole ordeal uncomfortable for you. I don't know what got into me…” 

He was taking all the blame for it! Did he not recall how I cradled him in my arms and said I would show him how if felt to be held by a strong man? If that’s how he remembered it, I was content to leave it at that. Though as he sat there in my t-shirt, with his hair ruffled and even sticking straight up in the front, with a pout on his lips, I couldn’t help but think he looked...NO.

“Who would’ve thought Tokugawa Nobunobu wants to cuddle when he’s plastered,” I teased, but in truth, I was deflecting.

“I would prefer if you didn’t tell anyone,” he said. 

“It would be much more fun to tell everyone we know, but your secret is safe with me.” It felt dirty saying that. There I was thinking of how I wanted to hug him and do more, and I was pretending I felt nothing. 

I passed him one of the omelettes, which was now getting cold, before I decided to inform him that we were not on Earth, but rather travelling through space faster than the speed of light. To my pleasure, he devoured it. It was rather enjoyable to watch someone appreciate the food I made, but that was probably just because he was starving and dehydrated. As he finished his last few bites, I broke the news. 

“What!?” He briefly choked in a moment of panic.

Yeah, I figured he wouldn't be happy about it.

“I haven't talked to Kamui yet, let's see if he's willing to turn this thing around.” I'm certain my low optimism on the matter came through my weary voice. 

I couldn’t help but wonder, had Kamui seen me tenderly holding Nobunobu? He had to have known I was on board since we left Earth, right? 

***

“Absolutely not,” Kamui said with a self-satisfied grin.

“It will only take us off course by a few hours.” I attempted to reason with him.

“And use additional fuel. The answer is 'no’. Besides, the two of you looked so comfortable snuggled up together last night. Wouldn't you like to spend more time together?” 

So he did see us. I tried to obscure my expression to hide my shame. Nobunobu's cheeks turned a flaming red. Damn, he looked appealing with that color on his face. Kamui gleefully smirked at us both. 

“Listen, that was all my fault. I was very drunk and wouldn't leave him alone. I would just like to go home. I'm sorry for all the trouble I have caused,” Nobunobu nearly pleaded.

“Hmmm,” Kamui feigned consideration, “Nope! Aren’t you retired now? It’s not like an old man like you has anything important to do anyway.” 

Nobunobu narrowed his eyes and responded defiantly, “I am not old and just because I’m retired doesn’t mean I can just fly off into space at another's whim!”

“I mean I guess you’re not old compared to him.” Kamui pointed at me. 

“Alright, clearly this is going nowhere. C’mon Nobunobu, I’ll show you around so you can get accustomed to the ship until we find a solution to get you home.” I tried to temporarily placate the situation. 

Kamui was being his usual stubborn self and Nobunobu was rightfully irked, but he was also hungover. This conversation had no chance of progressing into something productive. Nobunobu glared fiercely at Kamui, but his eyes softened as they met mine. Without words, I knew he agreed to my suggestion. Together, we took leave of the bridge. 

***

Before giving him the “grand tour” we took a detour to move his clean clothes to dry. The laundry room was filled with the sweet fragrance of detergent, and the machines emanated a gentle warmth. 

“Thank you for being so kind and accommodating.” He leaned against one of the washers in a casual manner unbefitting of the former shogun. 

“Why are you always saying ‘thank you’ and ‘I’m sorry’? I don’t remember you being so polite.” I knew he had changed a lot, but I didn’t anticipate this level of politeness and even softness. 

“It just seems...right...I feel deeply indebted to everyone around me.” He turned away as he said this. 

“Interesting, it’s rare the person who reforms themselves like that.” Perhaps I would start liking him in more than just one way. 

Maybe, just maybe, with him being stuck on the ship for awhile, it was worth being more open about those strange feelings from the previous night. I silently moved closer to him, and placed both hands on his slender hips. He tensed his shoulders and I started to relax my hold. 

“What exactly are you doing?” He raised his volume just a touch.

“Eh that was stupid.” I threw my hands down and held them tightly by my sides, “I lied to you this morning. You weren’t the only one who liked cuddling last night. I did too, but it seemed so goddamn ludicrous that I couldn’t bring myself to believe it was true. But now that you’re stuck on this ship, it’s harder for me to dismiss those feelings.”

“Oh,” he turned to face me, “It's hardly stupid to be confused by those feelings.” 

Without another word, he walked right past me and for the exit of the laundry room. I guess he was only interested in me when he was drunk. And that realization didn't sit well in my chest. A twisting knot formed in my throat. How could I be so foolish? I barely knew him. The slam of the door snapped me out of my thoughts.

“That's better. If you want to hold me again, I don't want anyone spying on us. Despite how it may seem, I still have a reputation to uphold," he said as he walked back towards me. I should have a more sophisticated way to describe his smile, but it was nothing short of lustful. I grabbed his pretty hand and pulled him close. Those cat-like eyes begged for me to make the next move. I placed my free hand at the base of his jaw and brought his lips almost close enough to kiss. He gasped when I teased instead of following through. 

“Not yet.” I placed my finger on his lips. His tongue slipped out and graced it with a small lick.

Before I let him continue, I lifted him and seated him on one of the washing machines. The entire time I held him in my arms, he wore this look of appeasement. I smiled back at his blissful expression. Making him happy, made me happy. My fingertips sneaked up his t-shirt and began to roll it up revealing his well-formed core and those unfortunate scars. I gently brushed my lips over each one.

“I'm sorry this happened to you.”

“I had it coming,” he said sorrowfully and shied away. 

“You're not allowed to say that,” I scolded him and stared directly in his eyes. 

I lifted his chin, took one last look into his melancholy eyes and closed my own. Our lips pressed together in a warm, soothing kiss. He grabbed the back of my head and tugged at my hair. I pressed in closer and slid my tongue into his soft mouth. He instantly started chuckling and released his lips.

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry, your stubble, it tickles!” He wiped his mouth.

“You know, you're kinda a brat,” I said before swooping in to kiss that bratty face again.

He laughed again but our lips remained locked. As I fell deeper into the kiss, he leaned farther back on the top of the machine. I moved to his neck and started nipping at his skin. He moaned with each bite. 

“Do you like it?” I whispered in his ear.

“I do,” he answered breathlessly.

The harder I bit, the more he writhed. I was worried I might get too harsh, but a glance at his smile told me he was loving every second of it. It wasn't until I accidentally drew a tiny bit of blood that he asked me to stop.

“OK, OK,” he panted as he felt the blood with his fingers, “that's going to be a pain to cover up.” 

He stared crossly at me, grabbed my shirt, and yanked me in, with a sudden roughness. Being much stronger than him, I could have easily resisted, but I figured I'd let him be the tough one for a moment. As he took his turn biting and sucking my neck, I started circling my thumb around his hip bone. 

“Your skin…” he groaned, “it's a little rough.”

“Not everyone grows up pampered, you know.” I dismissed his petty comment and moved my hand from his hip, into his pants, and squeezed his thigh.

His writhing turned into a stilted wriggling. 

“What's a matter?” I asked perplexed by his apparent and sudden change in mood, “Can't handle the rugged hands of a real man?”

“Hey! What the hell is that supposed to mean? That's not it! Anyway...I just think we should slow down.” He grabbed my wrist to stop.

OK, now he was just being weird and frustrating. 

“A moment ago, you were all about this. Why the hesitation now?” I removed my hand from his pants, sighed, and slumped my shoulders. All the better if he was aware of my annoyance. 

He slouched and crossed his legs on top of the machine. He was reminiscent of a pouty child once again. “I like all of this, it’s just, it’s not like we can actually be together. I want to consider our actions before we go much further.”

“That’s a surprisingly prudish attitude coming from you,” I retorted, “I’m not sure how much difference it makes just because it’s below the belt.”

He looked to the side and blew air out his lips, causing his hair to float up and down with the exhale. “I’m not sure either, but despite some crude actions I’ve done in the past, I don’t have much experience with...this. I enjoy the kissing and cuddling, but I would like to mull it over before we go beyond that.” 

“Hmmm, you’re a weird guy, but I’ll respect it.”

“Thank you.” 

Compelled by the softness of his unstyled hair, I patted his head and ruffled his hair. “You should wear your hair down more often, it looks cuter and makes you look less uptight.” 

***

Of course I was disappointed that Nobunobu decided to tease me with kisses and allow nothing further, but he was right about one thing. It was entirely unrealistic that we could ever be together. But on the other hand, wasn’t that more incentive to have some fun with each other in the meantime?

Later that day, Sakamoto Tatsuma contacted our ship. Nobunobu ran to the bridge as soon as he was notified. A small bandage concealed the bite on his neck, but some of the bruising remained visible. I hoped no one would ask questions, but didn’t count on Kamui staying silent. Sakamoto appeared on the view screen, scratching his head and bellowing a bewildering laugh.

“Tatsuma, why did you leave without saying anything?” Poor Nobunobu looked a touch desperate as he spoke. I don't think he realized his hair was still in disarray.

“Nobu-kun! It wasn't intentional, you see there were these traders and I just couldn't pass up the business opportunity. I thought it would only take a few minutes, but it became this whole ordeal.” He informed us, all while continuing his goofy laughter, “But I came to find you as soon as I heard no one saw you after you left with Abuto. You look like you’re doin’ just fine so-”

“Will you be able to come get me?” _Nobu_ asked. 

“Well, I promised the traders I’d-” he began only to be pushed aside by Mutsu.

“Yes, we will rendezvous with your ship in about 20 earth hours,” Mutsu interjected. 

As the screen shut, I could hear her arguing with Sakamoto about decency and the obligations of friendship. Nobu looked to me with blinking eyes. He parted his lips as though he were about to speak, but I went first.

“Our closest friends don’t always treat us the best, do they?” I questioned him.

He shook his head vigorously. “No, Tatsuma is a wonderful friend. I could never repay what he has done for me. He can be absent minded, but I couldn’t ask for a better friend.” 

I couldn't believe it, but I was going to miss him.

As we turned to leave the bridge, Kamui seized the opportunity to tease once again, “What happened to your neck, Nobu-kun?” 

Nobu’s face turned that delightful red as he un-artfully covered the bruises with his hand. 

“We’ve been having a bit of fun. Something you won’t understand until you’re older, Kamui.” There was no need to play dumb anymore, so I teased back.

***

As the day pressed on, we didn't get much further beyond kissing, but when we both decided to surrender to sleep, we joined each other in an unspoken embrace. I wrapped my arms around him, he placed his head on my bare chest, and I kissed his forehead and wished him 'goodnight’. Sleep came within minutes.

I woke the next day to the aroma of burnt coffee and no one by my side. I peeled my heavy eyelids open to find a breakfast tray placed beside the bedding, and Nobunobu sitting behind it.

“Good morning, I've prepared some breakfast for you,” he greeted.

I must say, I didn't expect him to be the type to serve food to others. On the tray was a bowl with cereal and yogurt, a banana, and a mug with what I assumed to be the burnt coffee. It was a modest breakfast, but the gesture was sweet. As he pushed the tray closer, I noticed some bandaging on his hand. I snatched his wrist.

“What the heck did you do to yourself?” I asked.

“I cut my fingers and burned my palm,” he said in a hushed voice. 

“You cut yourself while preparing cereal!?” I chastised. 

“No…” He averted his eyes, “I attempted cooking a little something for you. Needless to say, it ended badly.”

“You don't know how to cook...that's adorable.” I held his injured hand in my own.

“It's not adorable! I'm an adult; I should be able to cook a few things.” 

“You had a spoiled upbringing and now you're trying to learn what you missed out on. I think that's adorable.” Everything I said to him sounded so unfamiliar and unlike me, but it was wholeheartedly sincere. “Thanks for bringing me breakfast.” 

He smiled, it was a gentle, almost loving smile. Damn, I wished he would be staying longer. At least long enough so he could tell me how a bratty son of a bitch matured to be a kind and considerate man.

***

The Kaientai arrived in too few hours. 

We hadn't even spent two full Earth days together, yet I felt as though I had gotten to know Nobunobu in a way that many others hadn't. Before we left the guest room for the bridge, I wrapped my arm around his waist and whispered in his ear, “Since we won't be seeing each other much anymore, I wish you happiness in your life.”

He nearly melted in my arms just to say, “I don't really deserve happiness.”

Hearing that made my blood boil. Out of the rush of anger, I smacked him upside the head.

“Hey! What the hell!” he yelped.

“You said you don't deserve happiness, so maybe you deserve to be smacked a few more times,” I retorted and immediately regretted hitting him, “Sorry, you just pissed me off saying that.”

“I...didn't mean to.” He cradled my arm which was still around him.

“You have friends who love and care about you. How do you think they'd feel if they heard you say something like that?”

“I see your point.” He nodded slowly.

We kissed one last time and walked toward the docking station. Before he left, I made him promise he'd “cook” cereal for me the next time we met.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed! Feedback is always welcome and appreciated ^_^


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